Ever since Apple bought up cloud-based music distributor LaLa there's been speculation that Cupertino was going to put iTunes in the cloud. All of your music, available anywhere you had an Internet connection, streaming to your laptop, desktop, or iOS device (probably for a fee). But time passed and Apple did...nothing. So it seems. But maybe, just maybe our favorite computer and gadget maker is thinking bigger than just CeeLo's number one hit whenever you need a kickstart.

Right on cue, Apple released a Mac OS X 10.6.6 update which includes the Mac App Store first previewed back in October. Launching with over 1,000 apps stocking its virtual shelves, and potentially just as many questions which we’re all too happy to answer for you.

So much for those widely-spread rumors of a noon EST launch for the Mac App Store -- Apple pulled the trigger at 8:30am EST with a Mac OS X 10.6.6 update which includes the Mac App Store, complete with more than 1,000 apps ready to purchase.

The Mac App Store is almost here, and that can mean only one thing: The end of the Mac OS X Downloads page on Apple’s website. Rest in peace, little Downloads page, and enjoy your trip to that big website in the sky.

While everyone in the tech universe has fixed their gaze upon the goings on at CES this week, it's important to remember that other marvelous works are afoot as well. So, dear readers, let this serve as an official head's up: The Mac App Store is due to open for business sometime tomorrow.

Good News Everybody! Snow Leopard is up an running on a computer rocking one of Intel's zippy next generation "Sandy Bridge" processors! That means a significant performance bump for the end-user! Now, the bad news: OS X only works with the new processor when forced to do so at gunpoint. Boo.

We treat cooking like a religion and recipes like scripture. But we can’t turn to any hotel nightstand to pull out our bible, so what happens to those recipes when we’re traveling around the world or just moseying to the kitchen? Yum 4 stores and organizes recipes on your Mac, even copying them to a free, companion iOS app. That means you can easily reference a MacBook or iPhone to make impromptu wasabi-and-edamame mashed potatoes while at a cousin’s for the holidays.

If you’ve ever wanted to encode one of the DVDs in your personal collection so that you can watch it on the go with your iOS device, you’ve no doubt discovered the wonder that is HandBrake, now with even more awesome.